Iris
by jachowdown
Summary: Sixth Year Hogwarts. "Something wicked this way comes..." More mild with occasional cursing in early chapters. Rated "M" for later chapters. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

[[DISCLAIMER: Honestly. If I were affiliated with JK Rowling in any way, shape, or form, (excluding being a fan of her work) do you think I'd be lurking around FanFiction? Probably not. Anyways! Huge "Dramione" fan, always have been, always will be (haters gon' hate.) Set in the Trio's sixth years, I've tried to remain as canon as possible regarding timeline wise. Clearly the pairing is not canon. But I hope you enjoy :D] Based from a storyline I used to RP years ago. For those of you from those myspace days, Mentally Defined is back, ya'll.]

"Iris"

Hermione Granger was frowning for roughly the third time that morning. It was not a happenstance that occurred from an unpleasant encounter, nor was it a product of an unfortunate event. In her opinion, the frowns this morning were caused by an annoyance that was immeasurable by others, a burden so heavy, it could only be dealt with by the person who managed it. Her creased brow was attributed to the worst nightmare any girl could have dreamt: her hair. Hermione's brow furrowed ever more as another gust of wind blew her mass of brown curls in front of her face, the locks entangling within her eyelashes.

"Damn!" she muttered.

Impatiently, she pushed the tendrils away from her eyes yet again and continued her brisk stroll along the rolling green hills that surrounded Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Bravely facing the dry, autumnal wind that swirled around the grounds, Hermione marched forward, _A Guide to Advanced Transfiguration_ clutched between her fingers.

In the past, a return to Hogwarts would have been the ending to a perfectly careless summer. But, as the effects of last year's losses were still tangible. From the disappointment of not scoring a perfect result on her OWL examinations, to the still dull throb of losing Sirius, there was little revelry to celebrate her return. Determination drove her further to make up for the results she fell short of in her examinations.

Dutifully trudging along, Hermione drew her cloak closer around her body, shielding herself as much as possible from the wind. Textbook pressed securely to her chest, she marched along, weaving skillfully around a grove of trees until she stopped in a small clearing. Gazing around at the seeming empty space, Hermione slid against the trunk of a tree.

"Holed in the Library!'" she scoffed, repeating Ron's latest comment about her study habits. "I'm outside now. Not a date, but close enough." Hermione reasoned with herself aloud. She opened her textbook and sighed, the scent of fresh pages gently lulling her into a sense of security and comfort.

The sky began to lighten overhead. The light pink of morning slowly faded into blue. The sun overhead, the light filtered into thick, golden bars that lay in perfectly shadowed disarray on the forest's floor. Sighing contently, Hermione closed her eyes and leaned her head against the wooden bark of the tree. The wind from earlier had died down, and a soft, but gentle breeze wafted through the air. A soft hum reverberated in her throat, a lullaby mingling with the breeze that rolled by. Little did she know, a presence heard the soft hum, and piqued by curiosity, headed towards the gentle sound he heard.

The telltale snapping of branches were the first indication. Hermione's eyes snapped open, her head swirling to peek around the tree. The shadow of a person walking towards her moved through the bars of golden light. She rolled her eyes and readjusted herself against the tree, calling out behind her.

"Morning Ron…or Harry. Or both. If it is you, Ronald, don't think I've quite forgiven you for forgetting Harry on the train. And Harry, if that's you, don't think it's polite to snoop on other's conversations. Even if it was the slime called Malfoy. All for naught, too. I told you, he's nothing-"

She expected some sort of response, a huff of indignation perhaps. But what she did not expect was the loud, unfamiliar groan that echoed through the clearing.

"For Salazar's sake. Can I not go anywhere in this forsaken school, or the world, without one of the bloody Trio?"

Hermione stood up abruptly, her wand drawn and pointed straight at the throat of Draco Malfoy. Fourth frown of that day: she'd age far before her time. Brown met silver, and for a moment of tense silence, Draco raised his arms, his wand still firmly clutched in his fingers. He stared at her, a sneer wiped across his thin, aristocratic features.

"Now", he drawled on, "I'm not accustomed to your filthy muggle customs, so bear with me. But I doubt it's common courtesy to continue pointing your wand to someone who clearly does not want a duel." He pointedly glanced up at his raised arms before glaring back at her.

Hermione's glare narrowed, her brown eyes disappearing into thin slits, her brow creasing further. With a frustrated huff, she lowered her wand and stepped away from him. She muttered at him through a painfully clenched jaw.

"Malfoy" she spat, "what brings you here?"

He huffed, his eyes never leaving hers. "I went for a walk. I heard someone. I found you."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Fine." She clipped before turning around. "You can leave now."

Draco's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "What? I 'can' leave? As in I'm given permission?"

She scoffed bitterly. "Please tell me you don't need an escort."

He stepped towards her, anger contorting his face. "Listen Mud-"

Her "protego" screamed through the air before he finished his statement. Draco's body flew against a nearby tree, thudding loudly as he made contact with the ground in a crumpled heap of black robes. "Expelliarmus!" Hermione shrieked. Quite satisfactorily, his wand flew into her hand. He stood, fury now contorting his features almost animalistically.

"Give. Me. My. Wand. Bitch." He said dangerously.

"You forgot 'please', you prick." She replied, sarcasm dripping from her tone.

"My father will-"

Hermione turned away and laughed hollowly. "Yeah. He'll hear about this. I'm scared. Petrified, even. Regardless, I'm not the one without a wand. Leave."

Draco moved in front of her, his eyes flashing at her.

"I'm not leaving without my wand."

She shrugged. "Not my fault. Now, you're interrupting me. Leave."

She slid back down the trunk of the tree, both wands firmly stuck in her hands. She grinned victoriously.

Draco stood there, stunned momentarily. His eyes fixated themselves on his wand stuck between her dirty, muggle tainted fingers. Torn between the shame of losing a (unfair, in his eyes) duel and wand to the Gryffindor Princess and the shame of facing his house wand-less, his next move was so shocking, it elicited a shriek that could have raised the dead from Hermione: Draco Malfoy sat next to her.

((Author's Note: There we go! End of chapter one. Comments, reviews, questions are all appreciated! And thanks to Sabby for BETA-ing me!))


	2. Chapter 2

[[DISCLAIMER: Honestly. If I were affiliated with JK Rowling in any way, shape, or form, (excluding being a fan of her work) do you think I'd be lurking around FanFiction? Probably not. Anyways! Huge "Dramione" fan, always have been, always will be (haters gon' hate.) Set in the Trio's sixth years, I've tried to remain as canon as possible regarding timeline wise. Clearly the pairing is not canon. But I hope you enjoy :D]]

"Iris"-Chapter Two

A shriek of horror echoed through the grounds of Hogwarts: a scream of sheer terror that wielded the power of a banshee's cry. This lone scream however, erupted from the pallid face of Hermione Granger. Draco Malfoy continued making himself comfortable, his posture seemingly relaxed against the earth beneath him. She felt her eyes tear from her scream, her vocal chords straining as she scrambled away from him. Her brown eyes stared at him, a mixture of horror, disgust, curiosity, and shock painted on her features. His stormy eyes met hers once more, a smirk spreading along his lips.

"Oh come now, Granger. Longbottom's got more wind than you" he drawled. Speechless, she continued staring. He rolled his eyes. "My wand, and all of this will be behind us. You won't say anything, I won't say anything, we can pretend this," he gestured in the air between them, "never existed."

Hermione scoffed and turned her head, her cheeks firing in a brilliant shade of red not unlike that of Ron's hair. He continued speaking to her, his tone infuriatingly bored. "Granger, Granger, Granger. You have a decently constructed bone structure….for a Mudblood at least. It would be such a pity should something happen to it."

Her head whipped towards him, her eyes staring daggers. "Are you threatening me, Malfoy?" She tensed. The smirk transformed itself into a hideous smile that reminded her of more of a grimace.

"Not at all, Granger. I'm simply stating a fact. So dull for someone supposedly known as the 'Brightest Witch of Our Age.'"

She huffed in indignation, her brown hues glaring at him from her new position some feet away. "What bothers you more, Malfoy? The fact that I'm better than you? Or the fact I'm a muggle-born and yet still better than you?"

It was his turn to glare: Draco was in no need to hear of Hermione's "accomplishments" in the wizarding world. They were plastered on the pages of the Prophet since the Dark Lord's return the summer previously. He shrugged and turned away, his right hand hovering above his left forearm subconsciously. Draco's gaze fixated upon the clearing in front of them. This was wrong, this was so wrong, and yet here he was: frightened, anxious, and bested again by a Trio member. _He's just a boy…_ His mother's voice danced in his mind, wrapping around his thoughts like the vines of Devil's Snare. The smirk he had slowly melted from his face as he fell deeper into his thoughts.

Hermione shifted uncomfortably, her fingers still firmly wrapped tightly around both wands. She watched silently as his expression changed. A small knot in the pit of her stomach formed, her eyes swept over his face.

The thinness of his face was only highlighted by the sunlight above. A normally pale human (creature), a sick grey pallor spread across the skin of his cheeks. The hollows of his cheeks were more sunken than usual: the dark circles tell-tales signs of long nights spent awake than tucked away in the peaceful reprieve of slumber. The platinum blonde hair, so normally slicked back was a tousled mess settled upon his brow.

Draco pulled himself from his thoughts, the prying feeling of eyes lingering upon him brought him back to his surroundings. He glanced at Granger, the scrutiny of her stare causing him to turn away in disgust. He was not blind to the effects of having lived with the Dark Lord in the same roof as him. And more so than that, he was far more poignant to the weight of the task that was expected of him. Agitated, he ran his hands through his locks.

"What on Merlin's dear earth is wrong with you?" he snapped at Hermione. "Blinded by my dashing good looks? Or too stupid to speak without your dogs?"

Hermione averted her gaze, fire blooming once more in her cheeks. She made a face, the knot in her gut unravelling as quickly as it had formed. She waved her hand dismissively. "None of the above. Go away, Malfoy. I'll owl your wand to you later."

He inched towards her, his eyes locked on his wand still latched in her grasp.

"Now. See this. If you give me my wand, Granger, I'll cut you a deal. I won't mess up any unruly sprig of that bush you try calling 'hair'. I wouldn't waste my magic on something like you."

Hermione blanched and hesitated for a moment, her eyes locking to his. In spite of the chilled, haunted look that wrote its story upon his face, Malfoy's eyes were as intense as ever. Pools of melted silver that carefully masked the emotions he dare not betray. She hesitated before tossing his wand on the ground near his feet, her own drawn again defensively.

"Try anything, and you'll pay. Dearly. You have your wand Malfoy. Now leave."

She turned her gaze back to the grove of trees that surrounded them. Draco stood, wiping the dirt and loose debris from his trousers before pocketing his wand. Without another word, he turned and began walking back up the path he had come from. Unbeknownst to her, a small, sinister grin began to twitch at his lips. Abruptly he turned around and walked back, speaking almost triumphantly.

"You know what, Granger? I quite like this spot. You leave."

He sat back down, eliciting yet another hair-raising shriek from the curly haired brunette a few feet away.

"Are. You. Bloody. KIDDING. ME?!" she shouted. Her wand was pointed at him again, aimed once more at his throat. Malfoy raised his gaze and pocketed his wand before leaning back on his forearms.

"Nope. The view from here is lovely." He paused. "With the exception of a certain eyesore," he said with a glare, "this is exactly the place I need to unwind, you know? Relax. So, you may excuse yourself now." He raised his arms towards her, flicking his wrists in a shooing fashion that made Hermione see red.

"NO!" She spat. "This was MY spot. I claimed it. YOU leave." She gestured angrily to the space around them.

"I don't see your name on it."

She bit her lip and sighed, exasperated. She pointed her wand at the nearest tree. Taking care, she slowly began carving her name before Draco stood and began attempting to do the same, carving his name above hers. They withdrew their wands at the same time; the end result was a mar on the tree similar to looking at a symbol in Ancient Runes. Illegible and not much more than a hideous scar on a tree trunk, it was marked. As far as Hermione was concerned, it was hers. The mark a symbol of her claim.

"There. Mine."

"What?! You can't even see anything! Clearly it says 'Draco'."

Hermione sighed and placed her hands on her hips before inching closer. She scrutinized the trunk of the tree before turning back to face him.

"Oh. You're right!"

She almost laughed out loud at the shock of surprise settled on his face. That horrid grimace of a smile was back. Before he had a moment to relish his "victory", she continued.

"I can clearly make out where you've carved 'Ferret Git King'! Bravo, Draco, to that I applaud you."

The use of his first name hung in the air like the lone shot of a gun. The foreign taste of his name lingered on her tongue. They both tensed visibly, uncertain by her sudden change in nomenclature. Hermione cleared her throat before continuing.

"Now: while your artwork has permanently disfigured the tree, I would prefer if you would leave."

Still caught off guard by her blasé use of his first name, Draco shook his head. Planting his feet firmly, it was clear that he was going nowhere. With a frustrated huff, Hermione sat back down.

"Fine. You stay over there. I'll stay here. See? Fair."

He stared at her, attempting to figure out why his audacity was somehow more accepted than hers. Unwilling to allow her presence to deter him, he sat down as well.

The silence between them stretched through the space, dividing them both into a tense silence only broken by the occasional wind. They avoided each other's gaze, each one staring off into some space that was anything but the other. Hermione glanced down, a small dead leaf a few inches away. She grabbed it by the stem and began twirling it absent mindedly between her fingers.

Draco's gaze followed her actions, his eyes settling on her hands as she fiddled with the corpse of a leaf that was once green. He focused on her fingers, taking notice of the nibbled condition of her fingernails. _Fingernail biting…_ he thought, _so barbaric. Uncivilized…_. His eyes wandered back to his own hands, covered in hangnails and broken skin from his habit of nail-biting. He glanced back at her hands, still playing with the stupid leaf. His trailed his eyes from her hands to her arms, to the bow-legged fashion she sat on the ground. What he saw next piqued his curiosity: on her legs, instead of the regular uniform skirt and knee high socks, was blue fabric that hung ever so flatteringly (for a muggle-born) on her legs. He tilted his head, his eyes fixated upon the fabric, attempting to figure out what form of trouser she chose to wear.

Hermione could feel his eyes on her. She glanced up, the leaf cracking in two as she threw it carelessly against the groun.

"What?!" She snapped at him, irritated. "Do I have a tear in my jeans?"

Draco broke his contact with her pants.

"Genes? Other than your inferior blood status, I see no flaw in your genetics."

Hermione stared at him as if he had grown two heads. He scowled.

"What?! You asked about a tear in your 'genes', Granger. I was merely responding."

She sat there for a moment, bewildered at what he was attempting to say. Suddenly, it hit her. Unable to control it, Hermione began to laugh. It was Draco's turn to look startled: clearly this was the tear in her "genes" she was mentioning. Granger was obviously insane. He sat quietly as Granger continued laughing. She tipped over onto the ground, clutching her sides as she gasped for mouthfuls of air. He began growing concerned; the desire to smile as her delighted peals of laughter shook the air directly conflicted with his want to slowly extract himself from her obvious insanity.

((Author's note: Hey guys! Thanks for reading :D Enjoy and remember! Reviews, comments, general statements about the weather are all appreciated! –jachowdown))


	3. Chapter 3

[[DISCLAIMER: Honestly. If I were affiliated with JK Rowling in any way, shape, or form, (excluding being a fan of her work) do you think I'd be lurking around FanFiction? Probably not. Anyways! Huge "Dramione" fan, always have been, always will be (haters gon' hate.) Set in the Trio's sixth years, I've tried to remain as canon as possible regarding timeline wise. Clearly the pairing is not canon. But I hope you enjoy :D]]

"Iris"-Chapter Three

After several moments of sheer, unadulterated laughter, Hermione began to settle down. Her chest heaved as she took a few shallow gasps, her face aching from the smile that lay plastered on her lips. Regaining some sense of composure, she slowly sat up. Draco's face was a mix of shock and unabashed confusion. Hermione took in a shaky breath, the corners of her mouth still twitching.

"Ah. I apologize. I should have specified. I'm wearing a sort of trouser. 'Blue jeans', are what they're called. They have nothing to do with genetics" she explained.

His eyebrows raised quizzically. "What…what ARE they?" He resisted the urge to touch the fabric.

Hermione smiled pleasantly and stretched out her legs. "They're made from denim. Far more popular in the Americas than here."

Draco sat there, his silver hues gently swept over the now extended view of her "jerean" (or whatever) clad legs. Embarrassed, he glanced away and fixed his glance back to the ground.

"Ah. Well…"

Awkward silence again settled between them. Draco sat more rigidly: his mind replaying the sound of her laughter. The sound was completely different than what he was used to: the mimicking simpers of the Dark Lord at his table. The maniacal cackle that erupted from his aunt Bellatrix, and the hollow, sycophantic chuckles of Death Eaters, were all sounds he had grown accustomed to. But, the sound of pure, untainted joy was something he had almost forgotten. He had felt that too, once, hadn't he?

Hermione's smile slowly faded as once again, Draco's gaze lost its focus and slid back into a haunted, faraway look. She cleared her throat, once again alerting him of her presence. As quickly as his shield had faltered, it was back up again once more. His face fell back into a mask of complete iron, his eyes expressionless.

"That settles that, then Granger." He said, shifting his weight more comfortably.

Hermione began chewing her lower lip, the knot from earlier forming once more in her stomach. She sighed, the sun above streaming brightly. Draco glanced up, wincing slightly as the sun beat down upon his skin. He raised his hand and shielded himself.

"Ack! I'm going to bloody melt out here."

A smug smile crossed Hermione's lips. "You should go back then. Definitely wouldn't want to tarnish your perfect skin."

He snorted and turned his head. "Not bloody likely. Besides, my skin will never become flawed. I will never get those freckles you've got sprinkled across your nose."

Hermione blushed, her hands instinctively coming up to her nose and covering it. "Arrogant prat," she muttered beneath her breath.

Draco smiled and lifted his eyebrows. "Precisely. And don't forget that Granger." He sighed contentedly and leaned back. "So," he leaned closer to Hermione, his eyes peering up at her. Entirely too aware of his sudden closeness, she leaned away. He rolled his eyes before continuing, "What was Potter doing on the train? A bit old to be eavesdropping, aren't we?"

It was her turn to roll her eyes. "I told him it was a terrible idea. He's gotten into his head you were ah-" she broke off abruptly, a small frown shadowing her face. Draco scoot closer, a small shudder of overall creepiness settling on her body as he did so. Curiosity piqued, he inquired further.

"Go on. What was I doing?"

She huffed. "Harry was under the impression you were up to something evil."

Draco chortled. "Hardly," he lied smoothly, drawing his left arm back ever so subtly.

His arm went unnoticed, (thankfully) by the brunette witch, who was now ranting rather obnoxiously.

"And I absolutely told him that he was wrong. But Harry can be so stubborn sometimes! And then there's Ron who blindly supports everything Harry says, including his somewhat unfairly based bias."

Draco stared at her, warily, hesitantly attempting to break through her rant, but it continued.

"Granger?"

"I mean, I understand their suspicions. But for him to just blatantly accuse you of being a…a…" she sputtered before continuing, "it doesn't matter. Because you aren't."

"Granger."

"It's exactly these blind accusations that cause ignorance and hate. Precisely what happened in the Americas during the 1600's. Did you know women were actually burned because they were accused of witchcraft? Exactly. Now I'm not saying Harry wants to burn you, per say." She rattled on.

"GRANGER." He placed his hands on her shoulders and shook her slightly.

She squealed and scrambled backwards. "Don't touch me! Malfoy! What is wrong with you?!"

He glared. "Woman! You would be _blessed_ if I were to touch you in any way other than attempting to shut your mouth. However, your incessant jabbering is giving me a bloody headache." He crossed his arms and frowned.

Hermione threw a small, dead leaf at him. "You hush. You asked a question and-"

"And you began telling me your life's story. I get it."

Hermione's mouth snapped shut, her temper flaring slightly. "Well you asked, ferret."

Draco grimaced. "Don't call me that."

Her lips began twitching again, her brown eyes dancing gleefully. "So, Draco…"

His name again. They both sat there in silence for a moment, his pale cheeks turning a light shade of pink as she spoke his name again. He shifted uncomfortably as she continued.

"What was it like?"

Tongue suddenly inarticulate, he spoke clumsily. "What was what like?"

She leaned forward, a mischievous smile lit on her face. "Being in Crabbe's pants?"

He coughed in disgust, gagging slightly as that terrifying memory seeped it's way to cross his features. "Ugh. Granger. Must you?"

She snorted, her laughter once again tickling the air around them.

"If you're so curious, get in them yourself." He grumbled.

Hermione threw another leaf. "Not likely. Besides, I thought I'd ask you since you were the one with intimate knowledge. Who do I look like, Lavender Brown?"

Draco cocked an eyebrow. "Speaking of, seems like Weasley has an admirer. She fancies him."

Her laughter stopped abruptly. He felt a small twinge of regret as she stopped. Hermione stared at Draco.

"That…that wouldn't happen. Ron. Ron doesn't even know her name." She turned away from him.

Draco's jaw nearly dropped. "You can't seriously be insecure about _Brown_, can you?"

She sniffed haughtily, "Of course not. I'm just stating the improbability of Ronald and Lavender ever becoming anything more than just house-mates."

"Watch what you say, Granger. You'll see. He's an idiot and so is she. Idiots tend to latch to each other."

"Oh so is that how Crabbe and Goyle are together, then?"

His lips twitched, a small smile thawing his icy stare.

"I suppose so."

Silence again settled between them. There was a silent, but acknowledged sign of amiability passed between the two, and unbeknownst to each other, they were slowly becoming fools themselves.

They spoke at the same moment, their voices colliding with each other.

"Well Granger. You beat me to it. The spot is yours. I for one, am dying of heat." He slowly stood up, and shook off the loose dirt from his trousers, missing the small glance of disappointment that flashed in Hermione's expression.

"Don't-" she halted as he regarded her, slightly shocked. She cleared her throat. "Erm…be late for class, of course." She finished lamely.

He cocked an eyebrow at her. "Of course. Well, bye, Granger." Draco turned and walked up the lane through the trees, slowly becoming smaller and smaller off in the distance.

Hermione leaned back and chewed her lower lip, replaying the morning's unexpected turn of events. She sat there silently, unaware that he was doing the same thing as he neared the Great Hall, feeling far more content than he had the previous summer.


	4. Chapter 4

[[DISCLAIMER: Honestly. If I were affiliated with JK Rowling in any way, shape, or form, (excluding being a fan of her work) do you think I'd be lurking around FanFiction? Probably not. Anyways! Huge "Dramione" fan, always have been, always will be (haters gon' hate.) Set in the Trio's sixth years, I've tried to remain as canon as possible regarding timeline wise. Clearly the pairing is not canon. But I hope you enjoy :D]]

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey guys, sorry for the lag in update! Still around. Keep reviewing. I only have one, lonely review, and would love more. Much love 3

"Iris"—Chapter Four

Draco's footsteps faded further and further away, leaving Hermione alone in the silence she thought she had wanted. She sighed and leaned against the tree trunk, her eyes wandering to the carving she had made. A smile twitched at her lips as she stood. Tracing hers and Draco's handiwork, Hermione raised her eyebrows, replaying their interaction in her mind. In the brief moments they spent together, the idea that was Draco Malfoy was completely shattered. Without his ever stupidly loyal house-mates, she found someone who could very easily be _human._ She sighed and flattened her palm against the tree.

With a final glance and a touch, Hermione turned and began walking up the path towards the castle. She made her way to the Gryffindor tower, ignoring the few, scattered students roaming the corridor. With a hastily muttered password and a quick trip up to her dorm, Hermione found herself in the company of still dozing house-mates. Parvati Patil groaned as Hermione entered into the room, murmuring something about the noise. She turned in her bed as Hermione rummaged around, pulling off her jeans and jumper before replacing them with her uniform. She turned and picked up her Prefect badge, a smile spreading across her face as she neatly pinned it to her robes.

Before she could further disrupt the slumber of her dorm mates, Hermione left and walked back down her stairs to the Common Room. She was greeted by the familiar sight of Ron yawning.

"Morning Ronald. Is Harry awake yet?" She grinned at the matching Prefect badge fixed crookedly on his robes.

He nodded his head. "Yeah. He'll be down in a minute. Have you been up for a while?" He eyed her warily.

Hermione paused for a moment. "You could say that, I went for a brief walk."

Ron raised his eyebrow. "Blimey, Hermione. Do you not sleep? It's barely dawn."

She rolled her eyes. "Ronald, it's past eight."

Before he had time to respond, Harry appeared on the stairs. His hair still tousled from sleep, he nodded Ronald's similar fashion towards her. Harry immediately began regaling his tale about the events on the train. She listened carefully, her thoughts drifting again to the admittedly affable conversation they had had only half an hour prior. Hermione frowned, unable to see how the same Draco Malfoy she had spoke to earlier had anything to do with the man Harry was describing. She nodded in agreement to Ron's comment, adding her own bit of logic, only to have Harry frowning at her response. Students began wandering into the Common Room, listening closely to their conversation.

Noticing the captured attention of their new audience, Harry, Ron, and Hermione started to exit. Irritated, she turned towards a first year running past holding a Fanged Frisbee. "Hold it," she said, "Fanged Frisbees are strictly forbidden."

She plucked it from his hands, watching as the child walked away grumbling angrily. Ron quickly took it from her, gloating about his newly possessed prize as he clutched it.

"Ronald!" she began scolding.

A loud squeal erupted from behind them. The three of them turned their heads, watching as Lavender Brown walked past, still giggling behind her hands. Ron's gaze fixed upon Lavender as she settled her eyes on him. Draco's voice haunted her thoughts. _"Idiots tend to latch to each other." _

In spite of the noticed exchange, Hermione started smiling to herself. The trio turned into the corridor, a large, lumbering figure looming in front of their path. They glanced into the familiar face of Hagrid, beaming down on them. They all turned and glanced at each other, unable to respond as he chattered away about his Care of Magical Creatures class. He walked away, clearly oblivious to their guilty silences.

"I just don't have enough time" Hermione groaned, her expression matching both Harry and Ron's. "I mean, just because we did the work doesn't mean we would continue it."

Harry sat and avoided meeting either of their glances, muttering under his breath. "As if you would have let us miss any assignment in spite of whatever class we took."

She huffed. "There is absolutely no excuse for laziness, Harry. Failing is simply not an option."

"Speak for yourself," Ron quipped before diving nearly face first into breakfast.

Hermione's eyes narrowed as she neatly brought two eggs to her plate. She maneuvered around Ron as she gingerly reached for the bacon, lifting a few pieces that had managed to escape Ron's path of destruction.

Hermione continued her meal, another familiar Gryffindor sliding into the seat next to her. She turned her head at the other red-head. Ginny sat and watched her brother in open disgust as he continued devouring his breakfast. Hermione smirked.

"Morning Gin. How're you?"

"Peachy," she responded, still eyeing her sibling as he swallowed another egg whole. "Excited for this term. I feel like it could perhaps be the start of something excited. Especially the Quidditch season." She glanced at Harry excitedly, who nodded in agreement. "Speaking of, have you decided on the try-out dates? I think I shoul-"

Harry's attention had become diverted, the smile that was on his face vanished. His jaw clenched tightly. "Hermione," he whispered, "Malfoy is staring straight at you."

"What?!" Both her and Ginny cried out at the same time, their heads turning simultaneously to face the Slytherin. Ron started choking on his breakfast, his coughs ignored by the others as they gawked at Draco's pointed stare.

Surely enough, Draco Malfoy sat between his house-mates. His gaze however transfixed upon Hermione. Her cheeks flushed pink as she felt the others' gaze also fall upon her. Harry continued speaking to her in a whisper, his glare heating with every moment that passed.

"Hermione. If he's cursing you, tell me. I know I can feel some sort of magic at work. He's attempting to use nonverbal cursing!"

Hermione turned back around, throwing a sausage at Harry's head. Ginny and Ron snorted as it fell limply onto Harry's plate.

"Don't be ridiculous, Harry. He can't hurt me."

"Why was he staring, then?! Hermione. I'm telling you, something is wrong with him. He's been initiated."

Hermione felt her agitation grow.

"Harry. We talked about this. Enough. He's staring because he's a creep, perhaps?"

Ron sniggered. "Yeah, mate. If looks could kill, Malfoy would've dropped dead when you looked at him."

He reached over and plucked the thrown sausage from his plate before adding it to his own.

"Besides. The only one who would be most successful in casting a nonverbal curse would be Hermione."

She grinned and shrugged.

'We haven't started learning that yet. And I would have to agree with Ronald on that one."

The four Gryffindors continued talking, all still aware of the piercing gaze still stuck onto Hermione's form. She shifted uncomfortably, turning around and finding Draco's eyes still stuck on her. She raised her brow at him, staring back for a moment. A small smile crossed his features: noticeable for her, but undetected by the others around them. Blushing once more, Hermione turned back to Ron, Harry, and Ginny.

Nearing the end of breakfast, Professor McGonagall stood from her spot at the professors' table. A small stack of parchment hovered besides her. Hermione straightened in her seat, quickly wiping her mouth and standing to sort out her classes for the term.

She practically ran to McGonagall, eager to sign for her subjects. The elder witch glanced up at Hermione's anxious face. McGonagall nodded and acknowledged her.

"Ms. Granger! I must say I was entirely pleased by your O.W.L scores! Nine 'outstandings' and one 'exceeds expectations'! Quite unsurprised, but pleased entirely. Your parents must be proud."

Hermione beamed warmly at her head of house. "Thank you, professor! They are quite happy with my academic performance. Although I must say, I intend upon maintaining my high marks this term."

Her professor smiled. "Of course. I wouldn't expect any less. Now: I assume you would like to continue you N.E.W.T studies in…"

"Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Herbology, Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, and Potions, if I can", said Hermione.

McGonagall nodded and waved her wand over a piece of parchment. She handed it to Hermione. "Very well, Ms. Granger. And congratulations once more."

"Thank you, professor!"

Hermione walked away happily, her schedule clutched in her hand.

All of the commotion in the hall halted however, with a suddenly loud exclamation erupting from the Slytherin table.

"Well. Looks like I'm off to Ancient Runes, then. It'll be nice being the first one to class."

Draco Malfoy stood near the edge of the Slytherin tables, his schedule also safely tucked in his fingers. He glanced at Hermione, his announcement finished before he turned and began walking out of the Great Hall. Hermione could barely contain her smile before turning back to Ron and Harry. They stood frozen, thoroughly confused by Draco's sudden declaration.

"Well, I'm off."

"What?!" They both stared.

Hermione hastened to grab her things, sliding her bookbag neatly on her shoulder. She turned back to them.

"You can't honestly think that I would allow Malfoy to beat me to class on the first day, can you?"

With that, she turned and nearly sprinted for the door. She turned into the main corridor, happily moving through the halls before turning a corner and facing a figure. Without batting an eye, she grinned up at the figure who stood alone.

"Hello Draco."

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey guys! Thanks for tuning in to chapter four. I know its moving along slowly. Don't worry, the story can do nothing but pick up from here. I tried keeping the dialogue in the chapter as close as I could to the book without plagiarizing. ^_^ and of course filled in a few things. Chapter five is on it's way! Keep an eye out, and please REVIEW. I would absolutely love it if I heard some feedback from you guys.


	5. Chapter 5

[[DISCLAIMER: Honestly. If I were affiliated with JK Rowling in any way, shape, or form, (excluding being a fan of her work) do you think I'd be lurking around FanFiction? Probably not. Anyways! Huge "Dramione" fan, always have been, always will be (haters gon' hate.) Set in the Trio's sixth years, I've tried to remain as canon as possible regarding timeline wise. Clearly the pairing is not canon. But I hope you enjoy :D]]

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I don't think an apology will do, but here it goes: I am so sorry, and so thankful to my readers for being so patient with me as I sorted through my own personal issues. Recently, I've gone through a few transitions in life that haven't been…the easiest. And due to that, I just lost sight of why I was writing "Iris" and then suddenly, it came back. :))) Back for good. Check for weekly updates.

*****NEEDED: BETA! Pleeeeaze.

"Iris"—Chapter Five

Draco left the Great Hall without missing a step, his schedule balled in his fist as he turned the corner of the corridor. Leaning into an alcove indented in the stoned wall, he stood for a few moments before he heard the tell-tale pattering of footsteps echoing down from where he stood. He peeked around the corner, a flurry of curling brown hair bouncing behind the eager Gryffindor as she neared him. He stepped out of the alcove and into the hall as she stopped in front of him. Those brown eyes gazed up at him, a chocolate hue which he had not seem to notice before.

"Hello Draco."

A small smile twitched at Draco's lips as he glanced down at Hermione's eyes.

"So" he said, his eyebrows lifting, "you just couldn't let me get to class by myself?"

Hermione scoffed and adjusted the strap on her book bag.

"Please, Draco. With an announcement like that, you couldn't have possibly wanted privacy."

He rolled his eyes and leaned against the wall. He shoved his hands into his pockets.

"If I wanted company, I would have dragged Crabbe and Goyle."

She poked his chest.

"As if!" She cried out indignantly.

"As if, what Granger?"

She lifted her hand and began listing on her fingertips.

"One, I doubt that Crabbe and Goyle have interests in Ancient Runes. Two, I doubt either of them have the intelligence to take the course. Three, a troll has a better chance than they do at enrolling."

"Ah, ah, ah!" He interrupted. "Trolls would stand a small chance of passing. Isn't that hulking beast friend of yours part troll?"

She lowered her brow and pursed her lips. "Hagrid? Malfoy, he's a professor!"

He shook his head impatiently. "Not him! I know him; his bloody horse chicken almost took my arm off!"

The look on Hermione's face cleared as confusion replaced it instead.

"What? Who else?"

"I don't know his name! Tall fellow!" He waved his arms to illustrate the man's height. "He looks at every woman like they're a meal? He's in your house for Merlin's sake! Fifth year? Cocky bloke, more so than Weasley" Bewildered, Hermione just stared at him. An amused smile tickled her lips as he continued to gesture wildly. The smile that hinted at her lips did not go unnoticed by Draco. He stopped his arms mid-wave, his eyes narrowing at her as it grew. "Are…are you laughing at me, Granger?" He asked.

She shook her head, biting her lip to stifle a chuckle.

"Not at all, Malfoy," she said, her tone reflecting the truth.

He dropped his arms back to his sides before crossing them in front of him.

"You're a rotten liar, you know that?" He muttered.

Hermione grinned innocently and held her hands up.

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean." She said.

Draco rolled his eyes again before scowling. "Fine, Granger. I won't tell you. You can just be molested and such by Troll-Man."

She scoffed. "Please. The one who I see 'molesting' me is you. And you won't even need to touch me for that. All you apparently need to do is stare from your table in the hall."

He stepped closer to her, closing the small distance of space between them. Their chests barely touching as he glowered at her. "Granger," he said slowly, "if I wanted to touch you, I would have by now. But if you believe I would ever 'molest' you, then I will take my leave."

He nodded curtly before storming down the corridor, his robes billowing behind him. Hermione watched for a moment as he hastened away from her. Guiltily, she trailed after him, calling out his name. "Draco! Please! I'm sorry."

Draco stopped and turned to face her as she caught up to him. She reached out and touched his arm, not noticing his suddenly tense muscles beneath her fingertips. A small shadow crossed his brow as he looked down at her, sneaking a glance to her sullen face as she gently apologized to him.

"Draco, I'm sorry, truly I am," she said, sighing heavily. She adjusted the weight of her bookbag as her hand slid back to her side. Without speaking, Draco tugged at the strap of her bag before sliding it over his own shoulder and walking down the corridor once more. Hermione's jaw fell open, a small breeze drifting through and catching her off guard before she clamped it shut and walked after him.

He called out to her as she made her way to him. "Apology accepted, Granger. Do you, by any chance perhaps have every single published book in the library in this bag? Thought you would've memorized them by now."

She rolled her eyes and tapped along, holding her hand out to him for her bag. "Hush, and no. I happen to have a rather busy schedule this year and for Merlin's sake, Malfoy, hand it back over!"

Draco halted and looked at her bewildered. He brushed aside her outstretched hand before pushing a classroom door open, holding it for her to walk through. She stared at him again, her face registering every variation of shock there possibly was. He took the moment of her rare bout of speechlessness to speak.

"Now I'm not entirely sure of how Potter and Weaselbee have gotten away with it for years, but my mother once taught me to carry a friend's bag for them…" he paused before continuing, "More specifically when that friend is a female. Now would you care to go inside? I'm thrilled to see the other five students we're bound to be stuck with."

Hermione entered the room wordlessly, half expecting him to toss her bag on the floor before stomping on it and vandalizing her property. When he made no motion to, she slid onto a stool and sat, her eyes flickering somewhere between disbelief and confusion. Draco placed her bag on the table in front of her before sitting at the table over. She cocked her eyebrow.

"I thought we were-" He cut her off before the end of her sentence.

"You wouldn't want word to reach Potter about how you were seen consorting with a possible Death Eater, would you?"

Her jaw snapped shut. The dazed look in her eyes vanished and was quickly replaced by one of guilt.

"I'm sorry, Draco. We…Ronald and I have been trying to talk him out of it for weeks. But he's got his mind set on it and I doubt he'll change it. Harry? He's…very suspicious."

Draco gripped the his left sleeve, as if pulling it further down would replace the truth with the lie he hoped so desperately to believe. He shrugged towards her nonchalantly.

"Well, he certainly didn't catch much on the train." Draco grimaced.

Hermione's cheeks tinged pink as she glanced down, ashamedly.

"You didn't have to bash his face in! Honestly, such brutality. Completely barbaric." She muttered quietly beneath her breath as she turned away.

Draco almost smiled, catching himself as he reached into his own bag and grabbing his textbook.

"Potter's simply waiting for a moment to do it himself. Might as well give him the pride of vengeance."

Hermione threw a small wad of parchment at his head, satisfied as it neatly bounced off of his platinum locks.

"And your vengeance on me? When will that happen?"

Hermione's tone clearly was in jest, but the question suddenly made him very uneasy. Unable to look at those brown eyes, Draco forced a soft chuckle.

"When I'm damn good and ready," he replied.

Hermione reached into her bag, a loud clatter rattling against the wooden desk as she removed her textbook soaked through with black ink.

"No!" she shrieked.

Draco's head popped up as he watched his companion spring up, her shirt and skirt splattered with black smears. Small squeals and huffs sounded through the empty classroom as she whirled around, wiping frantically away at the ink that was spreading. He chuckled, watching as her hands flew against the fabric, his laughter slowly dying away as Hermione's skirt slowly started drifting upwards, the neatly tucked in white shirt becoming askew in her flurried panic. He turned away, his face burning as the very brief glance at her bared legs slowly played out in his thoughts.

"Granger!" he shouted hoarsely.

"Ack! All over my new texts, I knew I should have gotten that new stopped for the bottle and now I'll have to go…"

He shouted, his cheeks still aflame.

"GRANGER. JUST SIPHON IT!"

The noise she made suddenly stopped. His head still turned, he heard her clearly mutter "tergeo."

Moments later, he turned back around, seeing her shirt and skirt slowly revert to their original colors as she dragged her wand against the fabrics. He stood with his own wand and walked towards her.

He pointed it at her bag and the contents within.

"Tergeo." The ink was wiped away, her items back to new.

"Thank you," she breathed gratefully. Hermione stood and began tucking her shirt back into the waistband of her skirt, her hands pulling at it until the hem again reached a modest length.

He sat back down in his stool, glowering.

The silence between them grew. Finally, she grabbed her bag and sat down beside him at his table, placing her hand on his. Draco nearly jumped out of his stool at the contact, his silver eyes staring down at where her hand was, not used to the amount of contact she had displayed in the moments between early morning and now. Unsure of how to react, he sat there.

Hermione smiled at him warmly.

"If it is, as you say, five students. I think it'd be fine if we were friends."

In spite of her words, however, their hands flew apart as the door suddenly swung open.


	6. Chapter 6

[[DISCLAIMER: Honestly. If I were affiliated with JK Rowling in any way, shape, or form, (excluding being a fan of her work) do you think I'd be lurking around FanFiction? Probably not. Anyways! Huge "Dramione" fan, always have been, always will be (haters gon' hate.) Set in the Trio's sixth years, I've tried to remain as canon as possible regarding timeline wise. Clearly the pairing is not canon. But I hope you enjoy :D]]

"Iris"—Chapter Six

It had been two days. Two whole days since classes resumed for term, and Draco Malfoy had begun avoiding a certain Gryffindor by desperate measures. Feet pounding against stone, he scurried down towards the Common Room. He could not, should not, and would not, by any means be found again near his curly haired enemy.

"_Enemy_?" he scoffed, his mind twisting into yet another argument against itself, "_Enemy by who's standards? Or by what?_"

He shoved his hands back into his pockets, ignoring the students that his shoulders rammed into as he flew past. His thoughts continued to swirl around, echoing with every footstep as he drew closer to the Common Room. He muffled the password, relief flooding through his body as the door swung open. He crossed the threshold, reveling in the dark, murky surroundings of green and black. His eyes traveled over the black settees, the stained mahogany floors. Through the window across, he could see the dark waters of the Black Lake. Draco slowly made his way across the floor, his bookbag sliding off of his shoulder and onto the floor as he collapsed wearily onto the nearest sofa. He closed his eyes, sighing as the sounds of flowing water slowly eased his mind. He inhaled and exhaled, the inevitability of sleep looming beyond the thoughts of his tired mind. Without fighting, Draco Malfoy allowed himself to slip into oblivion.

Hermione Granger rolled her eyes as Harry poured relentlessly over his potion's book. The notes screamed off the pages in various splotches of black scribbles and flourishes. Scowling, she turned back to her own assignments. Ronald's quill scratched uncharacteristically quickly as he rushed through his latest assignment. Through the incessant scratching, Harry's voice wandered through the Common Room.

"I think the Prince made up some of these spells himself! I mean, look at this, I've never heard-"

Hermione interrupted, annoyance written across her face. "Or herself. The writing looks like it's more feminine than anything."

She grumbled loudly as Harry pointed out the gender specified title of his new favorite author.

"Fine," she conceded, before turning back to her essay, sliding her parchment away from Ron's attempt to read it. Dipping her quill back into her pot of ink, her eye caught the garbled, cork stopper. She stared at it, her thoughts drifting to the last encounter she had with a certain blonde haired Slytherin. The shock on his face as her hand impulsively shot towards his, the disappointment that set as she pulled away. Had she already ruined a potential friendship with a single touch? Hermione sighed, ending her essay much to Ron's apparent dismay.

"Hey Mione…" he started.

"No Ron, I have to get to the library. But, if you should need help when I return, I'll help you." She responded immediately.

Harry stood up suddenly, catching both her's and Ron's attention. He pushed his potion's book back into his bag, explaining his meeting with Dumbledore.

Hermione's interest was immediately swayed. "Ooh! You'll tell us everything, right?"

Harry nodded and headed out the portrait hole. A small silence descended upon Hermione and Ron as they sat together at the table.

"What do you think he's going to do?" Ron asked, his voice reeking with curiosity.

Hermione shrugged, placing her things into her bag as she stood.

"Harry will tell us when he gets back, although I do hope Dumbledore realizes as 'Chosen' as Harry is, he's still a student."

Ron scoffed "He's the 'Chosen One', Mione. If there's anything Harry can't do, it's go to detention with Snape."

Hermione chuckled, swinging her back over her shoulder. "This is true. Anyways, I'll be in the li-"

Ron cut her off. "In the library, and should I need your help, or if Harry gets back early, to come get you as soon as possible." Hermione opened her mouth to interject, but was ignored by Ron as he continued. "And to not worry because you still keep your coin from D.A. on you. I know, Mione."

Feigning annoyance, Hermione ruffled Ron's hair. "We spend far too much time together, you know that?"

Ron's mouth quirked into a small smile. "Yeah? Six years of school and a few summers together will do that to you. I'll catch up with you later."

She nodded and walked out, smiling softly to herself as she made her way through the halls and towards the library.

Draco was woken suddenly, his eyes shooting open as a small hand rubbed the inside of his thigh. He sat up, glancing down at Pansy Parkinson as she crawled towards him almost nauseatingly.

"Draco", she cooed.

"Pansy. You DO realize sexual harassment can be unwarranted advances by a woman towards a male, correct?" He swung his legs over the couch and onto the floor in a proper sitting position.

Pansy was undeterred as she slid next to him, her hand slowly making its way from his thigh to his groin.

"You never seemed to complain before, Draco. You seem tense," she whispered, her breath falling hot on his neck. "Is there anything I can…"

He stood, ignoring the look of shock on her face as he did so.

"I am tense. You're the cause of my discomfort. Could you please remove yourself from my presence?" He said scathingly.

Her eyes peered up at him dolefully, hurt and disappointment reflecting on her face.

He sighed. "I apologize. You startled me."

She withdrew her hand and sat a respectful distance away from him.

"Is it something I can help with?" she asked.

He shook his head, smoothing his mused hair back into place.

Draco watched out of the corner of his eye as Pansy stared at him, her eyes drifting to his left forearm.

"If you insist-" Pansy paused for a moment, "Draco, does it…"

"Enough." Draco said in a hushed whisper.

He collected his items from the floor, brushing Pansy off of his shoulder as she attempted to apologize.

"I have things to do. Don't follow."

He turned to leave, pausing to turn towards her once more briefly.

"And Pansy? This changes everything between us."

Her face fell entirely. Draco left before she could manage a sound.


	7. Chapter 7

[[DISCLAIMER: Honestly. If I were affiliated with JK Rowling in any way, shape, or form, (excluding being a fan of her work) do you think I'd be lurking around FanFiction? Probably not. Anyways! Huge "Dramione" fan, always have been, always will be (haters gon' hate.) Set in the Trio's sixth years, I've tried to remain as canon as possible regarding timeline wise. Clearly the pairing is not canon. But I hope you enjoy :D]]

**AUTHOR'S NOTE!: Hey guys! Short chapter, right?! Sorry bout that. Chapter 6 was supposed to also include chapter 7, but due to longevity, I decided to split the two up. Enjoy and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE! Review and follow.

"Iris"—Chapter Seven

Draco stalked into the shadows of the halls. He slowly made his way up the moving staircases, his bitterness growing with each step.

He turned the corner, a flash of brunette catching his eye as she sauntered past him and into the library. He stopped in his tracks, silently admiring the glow of her smile as she lightly walked past the doors. Compelled by a force beyond him, he followed her.

Unbeknownst to her, Hermione chose a small table in the corner of the room, shielded by the towers of books around. She slid her bag onto the table's surface. It was a small, but audible pop that caught her attention, followed closely by the slow spread of black along the fabric of her bag.

'Damn it!" She said beneath her breath.

Before she had taken out her wand, however, a voice behind her caused her to jump.

"Granger. Please tell me you've replaced that damn stopper." Draco said as he stepped from his spot between the shelves.

She stood there for a moment, bewildered. Draco watched silently, his eyes memorizing the different expressions on her face as she came to realize what had happened. Moving with a confidence he did not feel, he placed his bag on the table.

"For Merlin's sake, Draco!" She huffed angrily.

"I thought you had already learned this less-OW!" He sputtered as a kick reached his shin. He leaned on the chair, rubbing the spot with his hand. His eyes met hers, a frown creasing his brows.

"How dare you!" she seethed between her teeth.

"How dare I what, Granger? Ten points from Gryffindor for physical violence towards a prefect!" He grimaced as he sat in the chair.

Shocked, she sputtered. "Ten points?! You are just…"

She began collecting her things, ignoring the still spreading spot of black along her bag.

His hand shot out, grabbing her wrist lightly as she turned to leave.

"Please….Hermione…" he said, his voice pleading.

Hermione paused for a moment, her face feeling flushed as he continued.

"I'm sorry….please, Hermione."

She pulled her arm from his grasp, her eyes narrowing.

"We need to talk."

Hermione sat down, her features contorted into a mix of relief, anger, confusion. Draco's eyes swallowed it all, committing each glare, each frown, each eye roll to memory.

"Well," she said impatiently. "Talk." She crossed her arms across her chest.

"Granger, your bag is dripping." Draco said.

She squealed and placed her bag on top of the table, the resounding sound of glass breaking echoing through the stacks. Draco arched an eyebrow amusedly as she dumped the contents of her bag onto the table, panicked. He drew his wand, casting a small silencing spell around them as to not disturb other students.

Hermione nearly exploded from her fury, ignoring the small, rising feeling of happiness he brought by showing up unexpectedly. She rushed to salvage the things that had been stained by her now broken ink. Draco picked up the cork as it rolled towards him. He held it up between his fingers, staining his own skin.

"Do you not remember two days ago?" he asked as he held it to her for inspection.

"Do YOU not remember? I thought we were…that we could…" she pushed her hair from her face, streaking ink along her cheek.

"That we could what, Granger? It's so unlike you to be this inarticulate." He teased lightly.

"Go away." She said, managing to clean the mess from her ink.

"Are we at this again?" he said, bored. "I thought we settled this at the lake."

She grabbed her things and pushed them back into her bag, intending to leave again. Draco reached towards her, this time, his hand on hers, urging her to sit back down.

Her heart seemed to falter for a brief moment. His breath left him in a small sigh as his thumb slowly traced itself along her knuckle. Unable to tear her eyes from those pools of silver, she resumed her seat. Draco's face lightened slightly as she did. Hermione pulled her hand back to her side. His hand immediately felt it missing, the warmth of her skin suddenly vanishing from his fingertips.

He straightened up in his seat as he began to speak softly. "You were saying something about us?"

Hermione frowned again. "Yes. I was. And then I remembered suddenly. It's not probable. And a waste of time."

His eyebrow quirked again. "What is, Granger?"

She threw her hands up in frustration. "You are! I thought maybe we could perhaps backtrack on those years of conflict and finally come to a resolution. Friends. Just maybe. And then you just vanish?"

"It was two days" he said meekly.

The shadow on her face grew almost exponentially. He immediately regretted what he said.

"Two days? Draco you've been avoiding me, brushing me off…at least before you'd acknowledge me." She said lamely, trying to muffle out her petulance with anger.

He sighed and sat back, his eyes closing. The weight of reality suddenly descended upon them, settling on their shoulders as it enveloped them in crushing silence. The stain on his left arm began to burn slightly; a constant reminder of his task for the year that lay ahead. Ashamed, he felt his eyes well up. _He's just a boy…he's just a boy…_His mother had argue. Yet, a mother's love had only gone so far for him. A thought began twisting in his mind. _She doesn't need to know…she shouldn't know…_

His eyes jet open. With a small hope that had not existed before, Draco sat up and looked at the bushy haired muggle-born in front of him.

"Friends," he drawled slowly, "friends you say? And tell me, Granger, what happens when your other friends find out?"

She huffed again and frowned.

"What happens if yours do?" she said defensively.

His eyes narrowed.

"What does that mean, Granger?"

"I think you know what it means. Your friends are worse than mine." Hermione argued.

Draco's arm burned again, eliciting a small hiss of discomfort as he readjusted himself.

"I don't know if you realize what you're insinuating," he said softly, "but let me tell you, my house mates aren't the enemy, here." _I am…the one you should be afraid of is sitting in front of you…she doesn't have to know…_ His thoughts swirled murkily in his mind.

Hermione seemed to relax slightly, her brown eyes burning with the curiosity of questions unanswered.

"Can you promise me that?" She said, her arms uncrossing as she leaned forward.

Draco's throat swelled. The lies that he would have to spin to keep the truth from rearing it's ugly head began to sparking in his mind. A fire was growing within the pit of his soul. He paused for a moment, ignoring the ever burning mark on his arm as he hesitated before answering.

"Yes."

**Author's Note: whaaaat?! Hey guys! Another note for you again. Attempting to keep this as canon as possible is slightly challenging XD But hey, at least we finally have our plot line starting. Thank you so much for bearing with me as we start the journey between two unlikely friends. Review, follow, and please please please! Let me know what you want to see more of. Or, if anything is unclear, shoot me a message. -JaChowdown


End file.
